There's A First Time For Everything
by The Vigilant Sleeper
Summary: Prowl has a crush on a femme. Will his spark get broken? Romance and fluff, no slash, no smut. Title may change.
1. The Virus

**Synopsis:** Prowl has a crush on a femme. Will his spark get broken? Romance and fluff, no slash, no smut. Rated G for Genius. Okay, maybe not.

**Setting:** Iacon Autobot Headquarters; the war has just begun. Prowl is a promising young bot recently appointed as Optimus Prime's Second In Command.

_Chapter 1: The Virus_

Prowl blinked his optic shutters in surprise – he must have been infected with some horrible virus. Yes, that would explain how he was acting. How the virus got into his system, past all his extensive security programs and firewalls, was a tricky question, but a trickier one was this: Why was it making him feel… what was the right word to use… _different _around this femme? Clearly it was the virus making him feel this way; normally he would never gawk at anyone or anything, but whenever he came across this femme he could feel his optics being pulled toward her, glancing her body up and down, following every curve and detail in her frame.

He had wanted many times to go talk to her, but he had no logical reason to. She was a rookie – one of the newest recruits on the base. Being as he had just been appointed the Second in Command of the Autobots, Prowl had many new responsibilities to deal with, and so he hardly saw her at all. He didn't even know her designation. Despite all this, he still found himself yearning to speak to her. However, his stubbornness was not going to allow the virus to have its way with him. He refused to let himself approach her and make senseless small talk – he would not submit to the virus that openly. But he did allow himself to observe her – that is, whenever she happened to be nearby. He would not deliberately go out of his way to see her, but whenever she was near his optics were always looking curiously in her vicinity. Eventually he became dissatisfied with only seeing her once or twice a week for mere seconds at a time, perhaps passing her in a hallway or catching a glimpse of her frame from across a large room filled with mechs, so he adapted his tasks so that he was able to take his afternoon refueling break at the same time she usually took hers.

Prowl enjoyed seeing her more often, but at the same time he knew he should schedule an appointment with Ratchet to simply terminate the quirky virus. But he enjoyed observing her. He quickly saw that she was very observant too – of everything around her. Although a rookie, she had been on the base quite long enough to know what her surroundings were; therefore it was not necessary to constantly be so vigilant. But she remained watchful anyway… just like Prowl. Not paranoid, not nervous, just watchful. More aware of his surroundings than the average bot, it was a well known fact that sneaking up on Prowl was close to impossible. Now, gazing at the young femme and seeing how alert she was, he realized that she was the same way. She had even caught him looking her way now and again, but being as smooth as he was, Prowl simply pretended to be glancing around the room to evade prolonged optic contact with her. Then, once she turned her head or became occupied with something else, Prowl would let his gaze wander her way again.

She was quiet most of the time, but not shy by any means. When other bots would sit next to her in the refueling area she would participate in friendly conversation, but Prowl noticed that she often preferred to sit alone, attentively watching the activity around her. Prowl wondered what thoughts went through her processor as she sat tranquilly in the refueling area, sipping on her cube of energon slowly, optics taking in everything.


	2. Meeting

_Chapter 2: Meeting_

Prowl was especially worn out today. The rising threat of the Decepticons and their leader, Megatron, was putting all the Autobots on edge. He had loads of strategic planning to do, along with almost endless meetings with other high ranking officials, to keep Iacon safe in the hands of the Autobots. However busy he may be, though, he was not about to miss his refueling break. An exhausted Second in Command is a useless Second in Command.

Entering the refueling area, Prowl selected a cube of energon from one of the large supply lockers and casually scouted the room for a certain bot. Seeing that she was at her usual table – in the corner next to the window that overlooked a portion of Iacon – he found his way to a table near hers, but not too close to draw her suspicion. Sitting across from her, Prowl's optics rested on the femme's gorgeous face. He was able to see her optics, subtly glowing pure azure light. She was looking down at a data pad, temporarily giving up her vigilance for reading. Prowl had seen her read before and wondered what she was reading now. He also enjoyed reading from time to time – although it is much more time consuming than simply downloading the raw data, reading contains a certain pleasantness that cannot be achieved through simply downloading and analyzing the information.

His optics fixated on her face, he did not expect it when she suddenly looked up directly at him and caught him by surprise. Too caught in the depth of her azure optics to look away, Prowl simply looked back at her. He was staring now, staring at those deep blue optics, unable to look away, and wanting so badly to walk over and speak to her but unable to budge from where he was.

Their optics stayed locked for a few seconds longer before she looked back down at her data pad. Prowl was disappointed at first, but then realized that he might have made the situation awkward by staring back at her like that. Then again, now that he stopped to think about it, maybe she had noticed all the other times he was looking at her. Maybe he was acting more suspicious than he previously thought. He began to feel slightly embarrassed for his actions toward her. He had no right to stalk the femme, although he wasn't_ really_ stalking. Prowl wondered exactly why she had looked at him like that; was she annoyed with him? Was she irritated? Or possibly… _interested?_ Her expression had been hard to read, the lower half of her face obscured by her data pad.

_Primus, what am I thinking?_ Prowl said to himself. Of course she wasn't interested; she would have approached him if she were. He should have gotten the virus checked out by Ratchet a long time ago… simply terminating it would have prevented any of this from happening. Maybe he'd stop by the repair bay right now and see if Ratchet had time to check his systems. Becoming anxious, Prowl moved to leave only to notice the femme had gotten up and was walking toward his table.

His processor feeling excited panic only for a nanosecond, Prowl kept his cool and simply shifted in his seat and let her approach him. She stopped across from his table, her body language neutral and hard to interpret.

"Hi."

Somehow Prowl had expected more than that and was taken aback by her short but friendly greeting. He was also awed by the smooth, light, feminine and yet strong croon that was her voice.

"…Hello," Prowl managed to say back after the slightest of pauses. He had sounded more forceful than he meant to, and he wished he could take it back and say it again in a friendlier tone. Being so used to the formalities of communication with other high ranking bots, he had become accustomed to speaking in a rather stern voice most of the time. But he most certainly did not want to make the femme feel uncomfortable around him, so he reminded himself to keep the situation friendly.

After a slight hesitation, the femme spoke again, "Mind if I sit here?" she asked, indicating to the seat across from Prowl.

"Go ahead," he replied a bit more casually, and even managed to curve his facial plates ever so slightly into the smallest of smiles. He was finally talking to her!

"My name is Prowl."

"Yes, I know," she said with a friendly smile. "You're the Second in Command of the Autobots. I've been informed about you."

"...Of course," Prowl was at a loss for words. He had wanted to talk to her, but he wasn't really good at participating in conversations. He didn't really even know what to start talking about.

"…You're fairly new to the base, aren't you?" He asked her in an attempt to kill the slightly awkward silence that had settled between them.

"Yeah, just arrived two months ago. Transferred straight from the Autobot Academy."

"Are you adjusting well to life on the base?" For lack of a better subject, Prowl asked her basic questions that some of the older bots had asked him when he had been the rookie on base few years ago. It didn't really matter to him what he spoke to her about, as long as he could listen to her wonderful voice for a while longer.

"Yes, for the most part. But it sure is different than life back at the Academy."

"Better, or worse?"

"Oh, much better. I feel like I'm actually making a difference here..."

They talked together until she had to return to her duties. Prowl couldn't seem to pull himself away from her, even though he knew he had to. He would have spent the rest of the day talking to her if he could have.

Perhaps this virus wasn't so bad after all.


	3. Wanting

_Chapter 3: Wanting_

Prowl was more than happy to see her again the next day, which he of course blamed on the mysterious virus. Virus or not, though, he could not – or rather, would not – tear himself away from her. She was the new center of his universe, which before had been predominately his work and career. Day after day they refueled together, sharing interests, opinions and experiences.

Although from a distance she had seemed quiet and antisocial, Prowl found that she had rather much to say if one simply encouraged her a bit. He learned that she had been trained at the Autobot Academy as a soldier, but her main function around the Iacon base was an engineer. One of her creators had been an engineer and taught her much of what she knows about the subject. The Autobots would need many soldiers if the Decepticons were to launch a full scale attack, but until then she was instructed to work mainly with Wheeljack and Perceptor.

"Well, I should be getting back to work. Wheeljack is having me assist him with a new project of his." She quickly finished off the rest of the energon cube in her hand and set it down on the table.

"Really? I did not know he was working on a new project…Are you sure it's authorized? Wheeljack has a habit of 'forgetting' to get proper approval of his projects before starting them. And I wouldn't want you getting hurt," Prowl's level of concern jumped now that he knew she was working with Wheeljack on one of his projects, most of which were potentially dangerous.

She smiled, apparently reading Prowl's worry as if he were a data pad. "Yes, it's authorized. I received the authorization codes from Commander Optimus Prime myself." She laughed a little. "He also warned me about Wheeljack's habit of forgetfulness when it comes to project approval."

Prowl visibly relaxed. Without realizing it he had tensed the joints in his door appendages until they were held rigidly vertical. He now eased them back to their regular comfortable position. "So what is this new project?" Prowl asked as they both stood and brought their used energon cubes to the recycling unit.

"He's designing a shield system for Iacon that would be erected around the city if it were to come under heavy Decepticon attack. We're in the simulation process now, testing different designs and how efficient they are using computer simulations. So basically, you don't have to worry about anything blowing up for the next few days," she smirked as she said the last sentence. Prowl smiled back at her, his optics lingering in contact with hers, not able to look away.

"I'll see you later, Prowl." The most beautiful femme in the universe turned to leave.

After a moment's hesitation, Prowl spoke. "…Why don't I walk with you to Wheeljack's lab?"

She stopped and glanced back at him.

"It's en route to my office anyway," Prowl took a few steps to catch up to her, hoping he wasn't creating an awkward situation. He just wasn't ready to leave her yet. He never was, but if he could postpone their separation for a little longer, he would.

"Okay, I'd like that." Lucky for Prowl she smiled and didn't seem to mind at all.

During their walk down the wide halls, Prowl found himself constantly wanting to wrap his arm around her waist and hold her close to him. The hall was busy with mechs going to meetings, offices, or the refueling lounge. Several of them were fresh recruits from the Autobot Academy, like she was, and a few times she exchanged short greetings with mechs she must have recognized. Prowl did not know any of them, and he felt something quite unusual – was it…_jealousy?_ – when the unknown mechs smiled or waved or said hello to her.

He couldn't help but wonder how she would react if he reached out and held her hand. This would be an absurd thing to do, of course, but he wondered none the less. He sighed internally. _This is the most unusual virus, _he thought. _She has the right to have other friends. Why should I feel so…possessive?_

They reached their destination much too soon, even though the lab was on the opposite side of the building from the refueling lounge. Prowl looked into her stunning optics once more as she said good bye.

"Well, thanks for walking with me."

_Her optics are so lovely… _"No problem."

"I'll see you tomorrow!"

_So is her smile…and her lips… _"Yes, tomorrow."

Prowl was slowly becoming overwhelmed with an emotion he did not recognize. As he got lost in the depths of her optics and beauty of her face, their surroundings in the hallway seemed to diminish around them. He no longer heard the sounds of mechs passing them by in the halls talking with one another, or the gentle hum of the ventilation units on the ceiling. It was only him and her. He leaned closer to her face, so close…

He didn't really realize what he was doing, but before he knew it his lips were pressed lightly against hers. Slowly lifting a hand to caress her face, he deactivated his optics and savored the moment. His fingers trailed lightly against her soft, smooth facial plating, and eventually reached behind her helm to gently bring her in even closer. She kissed him back, her pleasantly supple lips enticing him to press on. As he continued to kiss her, he reached up with his other hand and rested it on her hip, brushing his fingertips alongside the curve in her frame. He subtly touched the front of his frame to hers. He wanted more of her, so much more, but then…

He was snapped back to reality as his best friend Jazz came up behind him and slapped him on the back.

"Hey buddy! How's it goin'? Haven't seen ya in a while!"

Prowl was still in a trance. The kiss had not happened, much to his dismay. The femme of his dreams had entered the lab and the entrance had slid silently shut behind her several seconds ago. He had imagined the whole thing.

"Hey, what's up Prowler? You look like you just saw a ghost!"

"Uh, hi Jazz. No, I was just...thinking."

"You think too much Prowl, it ain't good for your health. Look at you, just standing in the middle of the hallway thinking. Common, why don't you call it a day and join Blaster and me for a little high grade? It could do ya some good to relax."

"Um, not this time, Jazz, I think I need to…um…" Prowl was looking around the hallway, still a little appalled at what had happened, what he had _thought_. Jazz had also caught him off his guard – something that would never happen under normal circumstances. These circumstances, however, were far from normal. "I think I need to see Ratchet. It's been a while since my last full systems check."

"Prowl, Ratchet can check your systems _after_ you get wasted with us," Jazz said with a smile and another pat on the back. "With all your new responsibilities, we haven't spent hardly any time together!"

Prowl shook his head. "No, I should see him now. I don't feel like I'm functioning optimally right now."

"Oh, you feelin' sick? Think you got a virus or somethin'?"

"I don't feel sick, just not…normal. Not like myself. It probably is a virus of some type."

"Well, okay then buddy, but there's no way I'm letting you get away next time. Catch you later! Hope you start feelin' like yourself again." Jazz said with a wave of his hand, and then started off down the hall.

Prowl turned and started slowly walking to the diagnostics bay, lost in thought. What was happening to him?


	4. Reality

_Chapter 4: Reality_

The diagnostics bay was seemingly devoid of life, the lights dimmed from the prolonged absence of movement. Once Prowl moved further into the room the lights fully activated and he could see his surroundings. He was still quite unfamiliar with the diagnostics bay, as he was only here once before for a systems check before beginning his duties as Second in Command. Everything had a place and was in it: shining tools, scanning devices, diagnostic tables, all arranged to maximize maneuverability in the case of an emergency.

At the far end of the diagnostics bay was the entrance to Ratchet's office. Prowl made his way over to the office and knocked quietly.

"Yeah, come in, what is it?" Prowl heard Ratchet say from beyond the door. Prowl pressed a command button and the door opened for him, revealing Ratchet sitting at his desk with a cube of energon in one hand and a data pad in the other.

"Oh, hello Prowl," he said, setting the pad and cube down and standing up. "What brings you down here?"

Prowl hesitated ever so slightly before asking, "I was wondering if you had time to run a full systems diagnostic. I haven't been feeling quite normal lately."

Ratchet's expression took on a hint of concern. "Well, we certainly don't want our Second in Command feeling less than one hundred percent operational. Just give me a minute to get the scanning devices ready."

* * *

Prowl waited somewhat anxiously in the small examination room for the diagnostic results. The diagnostic didn't take any longer than it should have, but he was still aware of how much work he had to do, and how precious having time to do work is during a war. He sat on the diagnostic table in silence, wondering what was taking so long for Ratchet to return. He was relieved when Ratchet finally reentered the room.

"Well, I have good news and bad news," Ratchet announced. Prowl braced himself for whatever news he was about to reveal. His hope was that whatever virus he had was curable, but his processor briefly flashed fearful scenarios of losing his rank due to some horrific infection…

"The good news is you're functioning optimally. Not a thing's wrong with you. The bad news is that I will never get the time spent on that disgnostic back, and I have loads of data pads to go over before the– "

"Wait, so I don't have a virus?"

"Nope. According to the results, you're a perfectly healthy mech." Ratchet smiled lightly. "You have nothing to worry about, at least as far as your health is concerned."

Prowl pondered this for a moment, and Ratchet caught the look of confusion on his face. "Is there something wrong?"

Prowl looked at Ratchet, "No, just…I was positive the results would show a virus of some sort. I haven't been acting quite like myself at all lately. I was sure that a virus was the explanation."

"Hmm," Ratchet thought and rested a hand on his chin, "Have you considered that maybe your promotion is affecting you more than you're aware of? Being Second in Command, although it's a high honor, is also a stressful job – doubly so during wartime."

Prowl was considering what Ratchet said when he continued, "You know, I'm not only the head mechanical officer on base, I have counseling certification as well. If there's anything you need to get off your processor, whatever it is, it doesn't leave this room. "

"Well, I have been thinking a lot lately…" Prowl wondered how much he should say about his situation. He wasn't sure how Ratchet would react if he learned this whole thing was about a femme. And now that Prowl knew there was no virus involved after all, he had to admit what he was so stubbornly denying before the diagnostic, even though in the back of his thoughts he knew it was true…

"Well? What have you been thinking about?" Ratchet set down the data pad containing the diagnostic results on a countertop and sat on the examination table an arm's length from Prowl. "And I can assure you, whatever it is I will handle it professionally. There's no need to be bashful here."

This last statement helped reassure the young Second in Command a bit. He had a hard enough time engaging in typical conversations, but the thought of telling someone about what he had been going through for the past few days made him nervous. However, Ratchet seemed to be in a helpful mood, and Prowl thought maybe he would offer some advice if he knew his situation.

Taking a moment to organize his words, Prowl hoped he wouldn't regret this.

"Quite a few weeks ago I met one of the new recruits. We usually refuel together, and we've become good friends. I just…" Ratchet nodded encouragement when Prowl became tentative to continue. "…I find myself sometimes thinking thoughts about her that I think I shouldn't be." Prowl spoke slowly. This was a lot harder to put into words than he thought it would be. "I mean…she's a fellow Autobot and a good friend, but sometimes I will think of her in a different way before I'm even conscious that I'm thinking it. And when I'm with her, I feel different than I've ever felt before."

Prowl worried that what he was saying sounded silly, but Ratchet's face looked thoughtful. "Well, what kind of thoughts and feelings are you having about her?"

Good Primus, that information was the last thing Prowl wanted to share with anyone. Ratchet must have seen the unintentional look of slight panic in Prowl's optics, because he continued, "You don't have to be specific. Remember, you don't need to talk about anything you feel uncomfortable about."

Once again the mechanic's words helped reassure Prowl, although it was still a difficult subject for him to talk about. "I have thoughts of her… being more than just a friend," Prowl thought that was the least awkward way to get his point across. "And it's started affecting my work. I'll be working on a strategic plan or some other assignment I have to work on, and all of a sudden I will think of her. It becomes difficult to focus on the task at hand."

Ratchet smiled a little. "Prowl, if I may say this so bluntly without offending you, it sounds like you have a crush."

Prowl looked blankly at the floor. After a moment of silence, he spoke up. "Okay, maybe I do. Maybe I have for a while. So, how can I get myself to stop thinking about her so much? Whenever I spend time with her, I just want to be with her even more. It's like a cycle that I can't stop–"

"And why do you see that as such a bad thing?" Ratchet said. Prowl looked up at him. "Maybe this is a good thing for you. Spending intimate time with someone close to you can be good for the both of you."

Prowl looked at the wall and remained silent. _But nothing intimate will ever happen. I'm not Jazz or Tracks or Sunstreaker…I can't keep a femme happy, _Prowl thought to himself.

"Have you asked her out?" Ratchet asked.

Prowl almost doubled back. "What? No. I don't even know if she's seeing someone else…"

"Well, you have nothing to lose if you ask her as a friend. Things will progress later on if she wants them to, but if you want to pursue her you have to make the first move. Ask her out."

Prowl thought about this. There weren't many places he went out to. He kept mostly to himself except when Jazz and some other friends dragged him to a club or energon bar. But there was one place he was fond of…

"You're right Ratchet." Prowl found a new sense of hope within himself. Besides, there's no law that only the extroverted, high-maintenance bots get femmes. And he was already friends with her, so why couldn't they be more?

"Thanks for listening Ratchet, I really needed that talk," Prowl said as he got up to leave.

"No problem," Ratchet gathered up the data pad and headed toward his office, smiling inwardly. He wondered which lucky femme caught the typically standoffish Second in Command's attention.

Prowl set off to his own office, his steps lighter and quicker than usual. He didn't have a virus after all – so he couldn't deny it any longer. He was in love.


	5. The First Step

_Chapter 5: The First Step_

Prowl arrived early to ensure he would get there before her. He was a little nervous, but excited at the same time. He tried rehearsing some lines in his mind, anything that might get the conversation going if it happened to need a little pick-up, but he was too anxious to focus. He was going on a date!

The day after his talk with Ratchet, he asked Aileron if she wanted to join him for an evening at the Sky Café in downtown Iacon, and she happily said yes. Aileron…what a beautiful name! From the moment she said it to him, he could not resist repeating it in his mind… _Aileron._ He was sure she would love the Sky Café as much as he did. It was a quiet place where one could go to relax, and Prowl usually found himself picking one of the many intriguing antique data books off the shelves to read. The ancient stories of their ancestors and the creation of Cybertron entertained him and took his mind off of more serious things, such as the battle plans he and Commander Optimus Prime had been working on for the past few weeks. The tantalizing scent of warm, exotic flavored energon flowed throughout the large room as he waited at a table with a clear view of the entrance.

Prowl was so caught up in his own anxiousness that he almost didn't see his date as she walked into the room and glanced around, looking for him. He saw her just as she saw him, and she walked quickly over to the table he was at.

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long," Aileron smiled at him as he rushed behind her to pull out the chair for her. "Oh, thank you," she said modestly as he gently pushed it in behind her.

"You didn't keep me waiting at all. How are you?" Prowl replied, returning to his own seat.

"I'm doing well, although a bit tired. Perceptor had me help him analyze samples of various chemical bonds for a new weapon casing today. It wasn't difficult work, but rather long and monotonous."

"…I imagine so," Prowl replied in an almost daze-like state. Nervousness was biting at the back of his processor like a turbo fox en chase with a petro rabbit. Aileron was so beautiful, so mesmerizing, even when she was just sitting and talking to him.

"So how was your day?"

Luckily he was not in such a daze that he was not listening, and her question brought him back to words. "Very productive. The senior officers and I finished collaborating on some new emergency battle plans, and we'll be distributing them to everyone within the next few days. Just as a heads up, we'll be having an unannounced drill soon after, so be prepared." Not wanting to let a hesitation turn into an awkward silence, Prowl was speaking a mile a minute. He knew the instant he told her about the unannounced drill he shouldn't have, but it just slipped out.

_You're more tactful than this Prowl, lighten up, _he thought to himself.

"I'll be sure to read the plans extensively," Aileron said absentmindedly, glancing around the room they were in. "This is a beautiful place," she commented.

And it certainly was. Tables were strewn throughout, each decorated modestly with a tiny crystal centerpiece. Reflecting soft light in all directions, the crystals shown like tiny white stars. The room décor consisted of warm and inviting tones, dark reds and soft browns, encouraging one to settle on one of the many couches or lounge chairs and read a data book from a nearby shelf. Tall shelves of newer data pads labeled "philosophy," "science," "regions," "fiction," and other diverse genres were spaced throughout the entire room, creating comfy nooks for more tables or lounge chairs. The hum of subdued conversations could be heard as mechs and femmes alike chose spots to relax and enjoy the early evening sky, as the main source of light emanated from the large beautiful dome skylight in the ceiling.

A short, lean mech with polished red armor and a distinguished face approached their table and asked if they would like a sample of a flavored energon concoction. Both accepted and took a small cube, Prowl's filled with a light green concoction, Aileron's a deep indigo. The red mech grinned graciously and went on to the next table.

Mech and femme both quietly sipped their energon for a moment, savoring the unique flavor, stealing gazes at one another timidly. Eventually Prowl began to relax. The silence wasn't so bad – they were both enjoying themselves. There wasn't need for constant talking, although he did want to learn even more about her.

Prowl found himself wondering what to say next, but Aileron spoke up instead.

"Prowl, why… why did you really ask me here tonight?" She leaned her elbows on the table, rested her head on her hands and looked up at Prowl with questioning optics. Her question was genuinely inquisitive, not accusational by any means, but it made Prowl freeze mid thought.

"…What do you mean? I enjoy spending time with you, so…"

"Yes, I enjoy spending time with you too – at the base during refueling hours. But,"

Prowl became scared of what was coming. Was he about to be rejected by the femme that he loved and finally got the courage to ask out?

"…But it's not really typical of such a high ranking officer like yourself to… well, enjoy spending time with a rookie like me outside the base. I mean; I just need some clarification. What's this about?"

Prowl stared into those deep azure optics, so curious, so wide, so desperate to know what was going on inside his processor. _She probably already knows, she's not daft by any means…what if I tell her the truth? I don't think she would have came here tonight if she didn't feel the same. What if…_

Prowl spoke softly and with feeling, "I want to get to know you better. I want to know everything about you. You," he paused to choose the right words, "You mean more to me than I ever thought you would." He looked her in the optics, wanting to say more but stopped by the fear that he had already said too much.

Her expression shifted to a bashful smile, and she closed her optics for just a moment.

"Then tell me; what do you want to know?"


	6. A New Beginning

_Chapter 6: A New Beginning_

They stayed at the Sky Café talking together until closing time. Both were surprised just how fast the time went by. Neither was typically much of a talker, but they found comfort in each other knowing that they both shared that trait, and their conversation eventually carried its own momentum. They shared life experiences and how they each got to be where they are today, and Prowl was taken aback by how many interests and opinions they had in common.

Prowl offered to escort Aileron home. At first she declined, saying it was already late enough that Prowl should get home and recharge before his next shift tomorrow, but then she graciously accepted when he insisted on being chivalrous.

They exited the café and proceeded walking the few blocks to the main roadway entrance ramp. The sky had grown dark now, an intense black only lighted by the distant stars and the moon. Cybertron's almost full moon was high in the sky, casting its soft moonlight onto the reflective buildings of Iacon. Prowl silently admired the way the now lit streetlights reflected off Aileron's carefully polished armor. He had always thought she was pleasantly beautiful, but seeing her outside of Autobot Headquarters in a more natural environment brought out her features even more so than usual. She was just a little shorter than him, but much lighter framed. Though light, she was built strong, but not so much as to overpower her natural feminine physique. Like Prowl, she had a pair of doorwings gracefully arching outward from her back. Her armor was not extravagant in design; rather it was smooth and simple, not extremely modified from her original creator-given form. She was actually quite average looking, but Prowl thought that was what separated her from other femmes and made her more beautiful. Unlike them, she did not strive to have the most elaborately decorated armor or the newest modifications; nor did she fall to the opposite extreme and not care about her form and appearance altogether. She was confident with what she had and took pride in taking care of it. When she walked, it was with a slight air of subtle independence, but not that of arrogance. Prowl loved the way she walked, and he stayed close by her side as they navigated toward the roadway. Once they reached the roadway entrance ramp, Aileron transformed gracefully, and Prowl admired her sleek alternate mode for just a moment.

Although she was rather an average looking bot, her vehicle mode was somewhat striking – a sleek and aerodynamic land vehicle obviously designed for speed and intimidation. Prowl smiled inwardly as he realized there was still so much more for him to learn about her. She playfully revved her engine a little and he transformed, and they merged onto the roadway. His engine was almost humming with excitement at how well this first date was going. They set off on the roadway towards their destination. It didn't take them long to reach Aileron's apartment complex.

Aileron transformed and Prowl did as well, and they walked to the entrance together. A chill wind blew past them, and Prowl noticed the sky was clouding up. Only a few stars were still visible, and the moon was a blurry white mass attempting to shine through a thick dark puff of cloud. It looked like it might rain later. He suddenly was very aware of just how late it was by the cold of the night coming in contact with the now exposed wiring cables of his neck and joints. But although the air was cold, he felt warm and tingly all over. This date tonight was the beginning of something very new for him, and Prowl had never before welcomed a change in his life as much as this.

"Well, I had a great time with you tonight," Aileron said, a sincere smile spread across her facial features.

"Yes, I did too." Prowl could feel his sparkbeat quicken in his chest as they approached the tall building's entrance.

"We'll have to do this again sometime." Aileron stopped at the doorstep and turned to Prowl. "Thanks for escorting me home. That really was very nice of you."

"You're welcome," Prowl said a little nervously. He wasn't sure what to do now; how should he say goodbye? He wanted to kiss her, but he knew it was much too early for that. A hug? No, that might be a little awkward too, since he was not a hugger anyway. A handshake? That would be way too formal.

Aileron could see he was pondering, so she initiated a polite goodbye herself. "Well, goodnight," She softly touched his hand with hers as she spoke. "I'll see you tomorrow." She smiled lightly.

Prowl smiled back at her, his mind racing and spark pounding just from the affectionate touch of her hand. "Yes, see you tomorrow. Goodnight."

Aileron entered the access code for the entrance, gave Prowl one last friendly glance, and left him alone with his thoughts.

After a moment's hesitation, he transformed and headed for his own complex, disappointed to be leaving her but overwhelmed with happiness that the entire evening had gone so well. He felt more alive than he ever had before. Even the drizzling rain which now thudded against his vehicle mode did not dampen his spirits.

He arrived home dripping with cold rainwater, and gently shook the droplets from his doorwings before entering his apartment complex. He took the elevator to his level and took a brief warm shower to wash off the dirty rainwater from the roadway, then toweled off and lay down in his recharge bunk for the night. Lightning flashed and thunder echoed and boomed in the distance as Prowl drifted into recharge, his processor still filled with thoughts of the femme he loved.


End file.
